My mind is engaged in multiple thought trains in hundreds if not thousands or more directions – simultaneously.
My mind has the ability to attend to one thing while attenuating others – like picking out a voice in the midst of a noisy room. In this case, I would not need to have the room absolutely quiet in order to understand the words. All it would take is sufficient difference from the background noise to make out and understand the words s/he is saying.
We sometimes refer to this ability as “paying attention.”
And that makes all the difference! When I place a little more attention upon my intention than upon the background noise of other thoughts, I feel a sense of empowerment and clarity through focus.
What makes it seem like I’m moving in a direction is that I’m paying more attention to that direction than to others.
Let me bring this down to practical, usable, and pragmatic.
Let’s say that I’d like to drop 20 pounds by a certain time and keep it off forever. Further, that I’d like to strengthen my body so that it looks good when it weighs 20 pounds less than it does now. Intention!
I already having an experience of a body the way it is now. To redirect my thoughts and experience in the direction of a body 20 pounds lighter may not require a major lifestyle change – rather, it may only require a slight shift or nudge in attention in the direction of my intention – repeated over a sufficient period of time.
A tiny nudge every day may be more effective in achieving my intention than making a sudden major lifestyle change – and I may be a whole lot more likely to sustain it over time.
Shift Attention to Shift Experience
Thinking “shift” rather than “huge change” sets my mind up for “it’s easy” to achieve the intention – because I don’t have to move a mountain to achieve it. Easier to make a shift than reorganize my whole belief system.
Can you feel the difference between having to make a major life change and simply making a slight shift? Wouldn’t it seem easier if all you had to do was baby-step a little toward your intention?
You Get What You Pay For
Pay more attention to what you don’t want, and you’ll tend to get that result. Pay a little more attention to what you do want and you’ll likely get that instead. It’s relative!
I can say with some degree of certainty that I’m experiencing right now what I am paying most attention to. It’s no secret! To change my experience, all I have to do is change my attention – even the tiniest bit – again, and again, and again…
Mind your attention!
